Tempeh (soybeans fermented with Rhizopus)
Tempeh (soja fermentada con Rhizopus)
- Date
- c. siglos XVI-XIX (primera mención escrita: 1815) · confidence low
- Place
- Central Java, Indonesia
- Credited to
- Javanese cooks
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A food of cooked soybeans fermented with the mould Rhizopus oligosporus, forming a compact protein-rich cake. It is Indonesia's most widespread contribution to world vegetarian diets.
It is unknown when it was invented; the first clear written mention is in the Serat Centhini (1814-1815). Some hypotheses link it to the arrival of Chinese traders (soy) in Java around the 16th century, but there is no proof.
What it led to
- cheap plant protein in Indonesia, alongside tofu and soy sauce
- studies of fungal food fermentation (20th century)
- worldwide spread of tempeh in vegan cuisine since the 1960s